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I was stunned to spot a story on the future of colonoscopy in Gizmodo a gadget blog that I read regularly. It's just not the place I find stuff to post up here. :) Apparently Invendo Medical has come up with the Invendoscopy System, a product that will Read More...
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A new study was recently published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology suggesting that smoking may determine which part of the intestine is affected by Crohn's disease. The location of the diseases will also affect the treatment and may even make Read More...
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Jack Schnable, a senior who will graduate this spring from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, got together with Baron Gottsacker a chef to write a cookbook for Crohn's disease. It was a senior year project for Schnable and not for sale but I Read More...
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A recent study found that folks with IBD may also be at a higher risk for developing nerve damage. The researchers found that those with inflammatory bowel disease were about four times more likely to develop neuromuscular conditions, including carpal Read More...
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I love to read stories of survivors who don't let their conditions hold them back. In this case, it would seem that Rob Hill's condition actually inspired him to dream even bigger and just go for it. This is one guy on a mission. He recently scaled the Read More...
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There are about 500 individuals who are in the process of suing drug maker Hoffman-La Roche claiming that the drug Accutane is the cause of of their inflammatory bowel disease. Accutane, or isotretinoin, is considered a huge breakthrough in treatment Read More...
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Here's an article from Wired about the benefits of probiotics. I found it interesting but it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I've tried a few different probiotics in the past but haven't seen any direct personal benefit. Of course, I'm Read More...
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Here's a nice story about Rolf Benirschke. Benirschke was a placekicker for the professional football team the San Diego Chargers. He had a great career playing for 10 years and setting all kinds of records. The really astounding part is that he played Read More...
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For many of sufferers of IBD it can be a pain to leave the house for fear that they won't be able to find a public restroom when the need arrives... and with IBD it often does. Some kids in Texas took it upon themselves to try an relive some of that pain Read More...
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Callisto Pharmaceuticals announced a few weeks back that they're feeling pretty good about Guanilib. So good, in fact, that they intend to move the drug into clinical trials in ulcerative colitis. They announced that they have new animal data that suggest Read More...
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Shooters all around! Researchers in Mexico report that certain compounds found in agave fruit (the fruit used to make tequila) may be effective in treating diseases of the colon including IBD, IBS and cancer. "This study shows that the agave fruit is Read More...
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Inverness Medical recently announced that they've added the TechLab enteric panel to their portfolio. This panel of tests enables helath professionals to distinguish rapdily patients with Infalmmatory Bowel Disease (IBD) from patients with Irratable Bowel Read More...
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I check out a lot of sites online looking for information about IBD but I never expected to find one on the Billboard web site. Yeah, that Billboard. I found this article about Pearl Jam's Mike McCready. He's done a ton of work to help the Northwest Chapter Read More...
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It was recently announced that Remicade was recommended by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for use in Europe in treating severe active Crohn's disease in kids aged 6 to 17. That'll make Remicade the first therapy approved in Read More...
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In a recent audit of IBD patient care in the UK they found unacceptable variations in care. Not good for a disease that affects 1 person in 400 in the UK. They found the following: 44% of sites in the UK do not have an IBD clinical nurse specialist Very Read More...
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I just noticed that Humira was approved about a month ago for treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease. That's good news for Crohn's suffers. Not only is Humira yet another alternative treatment, it's a lot easier to administer. Up until Read More...
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Pretty nice. The pharmaceutical company UCB has introduced a scholarship for folks living with Crohn's. If you need financial help for your schooling check this out soon as the deadline is May 18, 2007. UCB, Inc. announced today the national roll out Read More...
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This is a very short mention of a method to add fiber to IV feeding to help intestinal growth. Read More...
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For those of us with IBD, 'scopes are regular occurences but you never get used to them especially the horrible stuff you have to take to prepare for them. Virtual colonoscopies may one day make those things of the past. They're non-invasive and a lot easier to prepare for. Read More...
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The common wisdom among the medical community is that IBD is an autoimmune disorder but a few doctors and researchers are challenging that notion with some interesting results. Some are convinced that it's more likely caused by our bodies reacting to bacteria. A similar debate raged in the medical community in the 90's around the causes of peptic ulcers until it was proven that most ulcers are indeed caused by bacteria. At any rate, the idea that IBD may be caused by bacteria has led to some interesting new treatments including probiotics or very long very high doses of antibiotics. The author of this article is also the author of an interesting new book I'm reading called, "Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health". Read More...
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A new book by James Lang descibes his battle and triumph over Crohn's Disease. The book, "Learning Sickness: A Year with Crohn's Disease", is about the worst year in his life when the disease almost completely disabled him. He devotes different chapters to the many lessons he learned that year including topics about God, family, truth, and personal responsibility. Read More...
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Yet another interesting development this month from Toronto. Scientists looking for trends studied medical records dating back to 1977 of Toronto children who developed IBD before their 15th birthday. The data shows Crohn's disease has become more common than ulcerative colitis over the past two decades, with both of these diseases observed across all ethnic groups. Read More...
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The idea that parasites can actually be helpful in treating IBD has been talked about for a few years but mostly in theory or in studies that used very small samples. Well, another much larger study will soon be released that shows remarkable success in inducing remission in both Crohn's and Colitis. There is even a firm in Europe that is planning to launch a drink that could be used in treatment. This is one area of research to watch. Read More...
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Scientists continue to zero in on the causes of Crohn's. There have been a number of recent discoveries that point to specific genes that predispose people to getting Crohn's Disease. Scientists at the University of Toronto have isolated yet another. I can't say that I unerstood much of the medical geek-speak in the actual article abstract but the press release here is pretty clear. We're not there yet but we are heading in the right direction and we're one step closer. Read More...
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The personal story of an artist. In creating, this Crohn's sufferer finds relief from the painful disease. Read More...
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Probiotics have been getting all kinds of good press lately both in the US and Europe. This recent article from The Scotsman does a great job of explaining some of the basics. It goes into the history and tries to explain some of the possible reasons behind the benefits. Read More...
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A recent danish study shows that an appendectomy reduces the risk of getting ulcerative colitis. It also shows that once you have ulcerative colitis, removing the appendix has no effect. Read More...
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Don't you wish you could do a little more to help eradicate IBD? If you are anywhere near Northern California I strongly encourage you to sign up for the Pace Setter Walk coming up on May 8th in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Sacramento. I walked in the Palo Alto event last year and will definitely walk again this year. In fact, if you have the time, consider volunteering to help make the event an even bigger success than it was last year. My son and I helped out at last year's event and we had a great time. Pencil it into your schedule now before you forget. Read More...
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A new study has confirmed what had been previously suspected... that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more than three times as likely to develop blood clots in their veins. Read More...
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We've mentioned a couple of times that Mike McCready of the rock band Pearl Jam had come out publicly about his battle with Crohn's Disease. This story is a summary of an interview he gave recently in Seattle about his battle. Read More...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may help pediatricians better diagnose children with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. That could go a long way toward starting appropriate drug treatment earlier and possibly avoiding surgery when it's not appropriate. Read More...
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A study on Remicade (known generically as infliximab) shows that it helps significantly with fistulas. If only it weren't so damn expensive, though... Read More...
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In a recent article in Gastroenterology a study of the effects of long-term cases of ulcerative colitis (specifically the severity of colonic inflamation) is linked to colorectal cancer. Read More...
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A study published in Psychosomatic Medecine shows a clear link between depression and anxiety and flares of IBD. Read More...
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Hadassah's approach to Crohn's disease goes back 2,000 years... straight from the Talmud, which sanctions the eating of an unkosher animal to heal oneself. Read More...
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We're pretty lucky to have Laurel Garwin, a certified nutritionist, regularly attending meetings of the IBD support group I'm in (Palo Alto, CA). Recently she offered to let me post a paper she wrote on UC and Nutrition and so here it is. It's not published anywhere else so I guess that makes it an IBDanswers exclusive! She wrote the paper as the thesis for her Nutrition Consultant certification from Bauman College and it took her about 3 months to write and research. Although Laurel does not have IBD her stepmom does so it's a topic that's near and dear to her heart. In her own words: "I wanted to write it so that normal people could understand the current theories and what was going on (not that anyone really knows yet). I also wanted to give some practical advice or recommendations, and explanations as to why, so that anyone could implement without spending a fortune or doing a lot of expensive testing." If you are looking for nutrition advice, Laurel is a practicing nutrition consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area (contact info at the end of the article). She specializes in gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, weight loss, diabetes, fibromyalgia, alcoholism, and depression. (Part 3 of 3) Read More...
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We're pretty lucky to have Laurel Garwin, a certified nutritionist, regularly attending meetings of the IBD support group I'm in (Palo Alto, CA). Recently she offered to let me post a paper she wrote on UC and Nutrition and so here it is. It's not published anywhere else so I guess that makes it an IBDanswers exclusive! She wrote the paper as the thesis for her Nutrition Consultant certification from Bauman College and it took her about 3 months to write and research. Although Laurel does not have IBD her stepmom does so it's a topic that's near and dear to her heart. In her own words: "I wanted to write it so that normal people could understand the current theories and what was going on (not that anyone really knows yet). I also wanted to give some practical advice or recommendations, and explanations as to why, so that anyone could implement without spending a fortune or doing a lot of expensive testing." If you are looking for nutrition advice, Laurel is a practicing nutrition consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area (contact info at the end of the article). She specializes in gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, weight loss, diabetes, fibromyalgia, alcoholism, and depression. (Part 2 of 3) Read More...
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We're pretty lucky to have Laurel Garwin, a certified nutritionist, regularly attending meetings of the IBD support group I'm in (Palo Alto, CA). Recently she offered to let me post a paper she wrote on UC and Nutrition and so here it is. It's not published anywhere else so I guess that makes it an IBDanswers exclusive! She wrote the paper as the thesis for her Nutrition Consultant certification from Bauman College and it took her about 3 months to write and research. Although Laurel does not have IBD her stepmom does so it's a topic that's near and dear to her heart. In her own words: "I wanted to write it so that normal people could understand the current theories and what was going on (not that anyone really knows yet). I also wanted to give some practical advice
or recommendations, and explanations as to why, so that anyone could
implement without spending a fortune or doing a lot of expensive
testing." If you are looking for nutrition advice, Laurel is a practicing nutrition consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area (contact info at the end of the article). She specializes in gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, weight loss, diabetes, fibromyalgia, alcoholism, and depression. (Part 1 of 3) Read More...
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Doctors are looking at nicotine as a possible treatment for an array of disorders, from brain disorders to pain to intestinal problems (like Ulcerative Colitis). But don't go buy your patch yet: nicotine is addictive, toxic, and can constrict blood flow, raising one's heart rate and blood pressure. Wait for the chemists to figure this one out a little better. Read More...
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Just what we're all waiting for: a drink of Gatorade and worms to fix our guts. But if it works? Sign me up... Read More...
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Keep having those yearly 'scopes if you've had IBD for a while: treatment with 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) does not prevent colorectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Read More...
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Are antibiotics the chicken or the egg? There seems to be a link between antibiotic use and developing CD, but whether the antibiotics may be one of the factors tilting the IBD wheel in our direction remains to be seen. Read More...
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Another famous figure who is know to have had IBD is US president John F. Kenedy. He was diagnosed with colitis in 1934 at the age of 17. He also had many other health problems including severe back pain and Addison's Disease. In this PBS interview physician Jeffrey Kelman discusses the extensive health ailments President John F. Kennedy suffered during his lifetime. Read More...
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A story last week about Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready having Crohn's spurred me to look for a little more information. Sure enough, I found a story about his helping the Northwest Chapter of the CCFA last year with a fund raiser. He was first diagnosed at 21. He spoke for the first time publicly last year about having Crohn's and Colitis. Read More...
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Researchers in Phoenix and Tucson are collaborating on a study to find the genetic roots of IBD. There has already been a connection made with one gene (NOD2) but that only accounts for about 10% of the cases of IBD so the researchers are trying to find the other genes involved. The study will look at families with two or more affected individuals, or families with a mother and father affected. If you fit the bill and are in Arizona, this sure does look like a worthwhile study. Read More...
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I had heard that Pearl Jam's lead guitarist Mike McCready had IBD but this is the first story I have come across about it. I think it's pretty cool that he's donating his name and his time to help the CCFA. Of course if you're in the Seattle area I encourage you to get your tickets early. Read More...
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I've heard many good things about the probiotic VSL#3. This is more good news for people having problems with pouchitis. In a new study in Gut VSL#3 appeared to do pretty good job helping to control pouchitis and generally improving the quality of life of UC patients with pouchitis. Warning: This is a press release so it may be biased and omit some of the negative bits. Read More...
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A new book entitled Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health has been published that dives into the details of probiotics. It describes clinical trials in which these supplements have been used to prevent and treat Crohn's disease, colitis, diarrhea, vaginal infections, food allergies, eczema, and more. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that have been used to treat and prevent gastrointestinal diseases, as well as illnesses that affect the immune system. Read More...
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Probiotics have been getting more and more good press lately. In this story researchers say friendly bacteria can improve intestinal functioning and may be a source of treatment for a range of diseases including IBD. I wish there was a little more regulation in the area, though. One of the researchers in the story claims that many of the probiotics on the market don't actually contain all the bacteria they claim to. Read More...
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High blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein linked to heart attacks, might also be an early warning sign of colon cancer, a study found. People with diseases involving chronic intestinal inflammation, including ulcerative colitis, are known to face an increased colon cancer risk, and studies have shown that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce that risk. Read More...
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Knowing how probiotics work could give scientists a way to identify and select which probiotic bacteria might be effective against such human ailments as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Probiotics have shown promise for treating such IBDs as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which cause periodic intestinal inflammation. Read More...
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Dairy products, such as yogurt, can be supplemented with odd sugars called nondigestible oligosaccharides. Their large fiberlike molecules seem to enhance the body's absorption of bone-building calcium. This has just a brief mention that it might be beneficial to UCers or to those at risk of colon cancer for other [non-specified] reasons. It may be marketed differently in Europe (where they are more interested in intestinal health) versus US (where bone health/calcium is a better selling point). Both these benfits are a bonus for IBDers. Read More...
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A Swedish researcher has discovered a new form of inflammatory intestinal disease called Microscopic Colitis. It appears to be hard to spot but is, in fact, quite common. I have no idea how it relates to IBD but it does appear to have some differences (it shows signs of being an infectious disease, for instance). Read More...
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I always wonder what makes researcher head down the paths they do. Sometimes it seems like organized madness but if it leads to a more and better treatments for IBD I'm all for it. The latest thought is that plantain bananas contain an interesting protein that prevents bacteria gathering in the lining of the bowel. It's not even a product yet let alone being in clinical trials so it'll take a good long while before we see any results from this discovery. Read More...
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I'd heard that there was a probable link between stress and IBD so I found this recent study interesting in that it found a significant link between depression and relapse in IBD. Read More...
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Leukine continues to show promise as a new type of treatment for Crohn's. While most of the approved therapies try to suppress the immune system, Leukine actually revs it up. It's still too early (it's in phase 2 trials) to see where it'll lead but it does look promising. Read More...
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There are an awful lot of people out there who are not as fortunate as I am and could use some comfort or a helping hand. This story of a New York girl, sick and home-bound with Crohn's Disease, receiving gifts from Marines and their Toys for Tots program kind of brought the point home for me. I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday. Read More...
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For those of us that have had colonoscopies it might come as a suprise that the scope can only go so far and that there are parts of the small bowel that are just out reach meaning that it's sometimes difficult to diagnose problems. Capsule Endoscopy looks really interesting and will make it easier to have a look at parts of the digestive track that could not previously be seen. As study was published the latest issue of Radiology (I read 'em all, folks ;) ) looks at the effectiveness of this new technique. Read More...
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Celltech announced recently that they were moving ahead with Phase III studies of their drug CDP870 which targets TNF-alpha (much like Remicade does). We probably won't see the results of this until 2005 but a successful trial would certainly be good news for Crohn's patients. Remicade is currently the only drug approved by the US FDA in this area and as a result it tends to be very expensive. Another positive is that CDP870 is injected rather than applied via infusion like Remicade. Read More...
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Until recently, autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, scleroderma, diabetes type I, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary bilary cirrhosis) were treated as separate conditions. But scientists have come to see them as related. In all of them, the immune system attacks the cells, tissues or organs it normally protects. What links these illnesses? Autoimmune disorders, which strike about three times as many women as men, have common symptoms. That may be the key to treating them. Read More...
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Taylor Barton's dedication to football's play-through-pain ethos nearly kills him. The personal story of this college football players struggle with colitis and his fight to regain a normal life. Read More...
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Studies of the contents of Crohn's disease "lesions" inside the gut found traces of Yersinia and Listeria, two bacteria that grow in colder temperatures. This may point to the possibility that some kind of inappropriate immune response to these bacteria may trigger or worsen Crohn's - and say that the role of the fridge in exposing consumers to larger concentrations of them could be historically important. However, the researchers conceded that the benefits of refrigeration both at home and in food production far outweighed the risk of Crohn's should their theory be proven true. Read More...
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Osteopenia (i.e. osteoporosis/bone loss) in Crohn's patients is often associated with the
heavy use of steroids. This article discusses a Canadian study that looked at just that
and found that steroid use is not the culprit.
"Patients with Crohn's disease have a reduced bone mineral density, which is due
not simply to steroids, but is significantly correlated with disease duration." He
also adds that "the chronic inflammatory process and the nature of the disease
itself are important with respect to loss of bone mineral density and need
further exploration. " Read More...
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Have you donated blood recently? The Red Cross is having trouble keeping the blood supply up to the required levels this year because of the flu epidemic, holidays, bad weather and travel schedules, and January annually goes on record as being one of the slowest donation periods. This story caught my eye because of the IBD angle. It made me think about making a blood donation soon. Read More...
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Starch Blockers have been getting a good deal of press coverage lately. This article does a good job of covering the basics. If you are taking these or are thinking about it, note the warning for IBD patients at the end. Read More...
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At a recent meeting of the Radiological Society of North America a study was presented that showed remarkable success in using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in children with IBD. The researchers used a number of techniques to avoid the need for bowel cleansing. Read More...
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A couple of studies have been released that should help unravel the complex genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In addition to the NOD2 gene that was linked to IBD in 2001, researchers have now also found that the NFKB1 and MDR1 genes are strongly linked with IBD. "Taken together, these new discoveries combine with the original NOD2 gene discovery and will hopefully lead to ways to intervene and possibly prevent IBD from occurring." Now that would be cool! Read More...
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Professional hockey player Anthony DiPalma has overcome the odds by pursuing a pro hockey career despite Crohn's disease. Read More...
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Refrigeration may lead to increases in cold bacteria growth. The bacteria may be a factor in the development of Crohn's Disease in individuals with a abnormal immune system response. This is a link to the original article published discussing the link between Crohn's and refrigeration. Read More...
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This article was submitted by a site member (Thanks Colleen). I found it an interesting read even if I don't quite believe all of it. (Colonics are not my bag). The article is a transcript of an audio tape on the topic of Leaky Gut and Proper Bowel Functioning by Brenda Watson. It's a pretty good introduction into how the colon functions. Read More...
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The classic Christmas poem with an IBD twist. A bunch of us chuckled over this one at a recent IBD support group meeting and I just had to post it for others to enjoy. Read More...
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Biogen chief executive Jim Mullen knows what it's like to be faced with an empty pipeline. In October 1999, he was back in Boston after a stint with the company in Paris when Biogen revived some devastating news. Read More...
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Mother of US president George W. Bush and wife of former president George Bush is helping to raise public awareness about IBD. Read More...
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Reuters reports on a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics about the ever increasing cases of IBD in children. The study points to changing environmental factors as being involved. They also point out that IBD in children is at an all time high and draw parallels with a dramtic increase in asthma. Read More...
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I hate to publish such obvious commericial press releases but I found this one interesting. Even if I'm skeptical of some of the claims regarding the products, the story reminds me a bit of mine and so I guess it hit home. The press release tells the story of how this young man went from 180 lbs to 100 lbs and went from doctor to doctor looking for relief from an extreme case of Crohn's disease. He was finally sent home to die but instead made an incredible recovery. I guess I just like happy endings. Read More...
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A water-borne animal may be causing alergic reactions and may be a trigger for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Read More...
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A new pill-sized camera is touted in this article as being superior to a number of traditional methods for examining the bowel. Read More...
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A new study finds a link between appendicitis and Crohn's disease. Read More...
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A new genetically engineered drug (Natalizumab) has been found to be effective against autoimmune disorders (including Crohn's disease) in a couple of trials in the UK. Read More...
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This article talks about some of the results of stress specifically related to travel. It mentions IBD as having been directly linked with psychological stress. Read More...
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For those of us who have had to cleanse before a colonoscopy, here's an interesting story about new technology that could one day make that a thing of the past. Read More...
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It can often be a chore to eat healthy without exascerbating your IBD symptoms. This article goes into some detail about some of the many misconceptions about diet that IBD patients may have. I know I learned a lot. Read More...
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Subway of British Columbia, Canada is holding a major fund-raiser for kids with IBD. Read More...
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Human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) appears to be a marker for local neutrophil activation in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a recent report by Swedish researchers. Read More...
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A genetically engineered growth hormone may be a powerful new weapon against ulcerative colitis, a hard-to-control ailment affecting an estimated 500,000 Americans, a study suggests. Read More...
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This Associated Press article talks about the results from a large study of Crohn's patients. It looks specifically at how Remicade is effective at inducing long-term remission in severe Crohn's patients. Read More...
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Star hockey player Shayne Corson of the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that he was retiring from professional hockey earlier this year. Corson has long suffered from Ulcerative Colitis having been diagnosed at 15. Read More...
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In this piece from the UK Carrie Grant tells the story of her 20-year battle with Crohn's. Read More...
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The drug Bupropion has been found to lower levels of TNF (kinda like Remicade does, I guess) in a small initial study presented recently at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (yes, we read 'em all, folks :) ). Bupropion is a drug primarily for psychiatric conditions. A quick Google on Bupriopion shows it to be used as an antidepressant (Wellbutrin) and to help quit smoking (Zyban). I also found that it has a whole list of possible side effects. I think I'll wait for a much bigger study before jumping on this one. Read More...
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For those of us that have had the discomfort of having a colonoscopy or endoscopy and wish there were an easier way, this is good news. Although Capsule Endoscopy can't yet replace a colonoscopy it would certainly appear to be headed in that direction. With this latest development Blue Cross Blue Shield now approve the use of this procedure when conventional methods have not been effective.
Capsule Endoscopy is a relativly new procedure that enables a doctor to examine the three portions (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) of the small intestine. The patient swallows a vitamin-pill sized video capsule as an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source. While the video capsule travels through the patient's body, images are sent to a datarecorder worn on a waistbelt. Afterwards the doctor may view the images on a video monitor. Read More...
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This audio report from NPR talks about a contraversial therapy for Crohn's Disease. It investigates a couple of doctors in the UK and Florida that believe that Crohn's is triggered by a bacteria called MAP and treat it using massive doses of antibiotics. Read More...
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British scientists have found a link between Crohn's Disease and a type of bacteria that can be passed to humans in milk. Read More...
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Enemas that contain a substance known as epidermal growth factor, or EGF, seem to reduce the severity of inflammatory diseases of the colon or rectum. Read More...
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Some interesting stats and good advice for kids with IBD. Read More...
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Think osteoporosis only affects women? Think again. NIH data suggests 1-2 million men in the US have osteoporosis, and an additional 8-13 million have low bone mass, with prevalence among white males. Few realize their risk for osteporosis-realted fracture is greater than their risk for prostate cancer. Read More...
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New research describing Crohn's effect on the lining of the gut and how infusions of infliximab (Remicade) can be a helpful treatment. Read More...
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Approval Follows Priority Review and Establishes Increased Role for REMICADE in Crohn's Disease Maintenance Read More...
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They can be prone to social and emotional problems Read More...
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An interesting and somewhat disturbing article on MAP. Read More...
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More bad news for Crohn's patients on Prednisone. Researchers in Canada have found that Crohn's patients on corticosteroids have a much higher risk of fracturing bones. Good news for colitis patients though, as there was no correlation for patients with colitis. Read More...
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A Las Vegas teen who lost 50 pounds hopes a stem cell operation will help him to combat Crohn's disease. Read More...
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The Wall Street Journal reports in this story that two scientists in St. Louis are studying the possibility that the cause of Crohn's disease is an
inadequate immune response. They say a defect in the body's initial response to bacteria causes infection to get out of control, forcing the second-line responders in the immune system to go into overdrive. Read More...
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As medical-marijuana bills advance, a Crohn's patient describes her suffering. Read More...
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There's some good news coming out of the University of Virginia Health System about a new study that clearly links a protein called TL1A with IBD. It's just a small initial study so it's a long way from benefiting current sufferers but I found it very encouraging and it'll be interesting to see where it goes from here. (Warning: This is a press release and it's primarily written for doctors so there's lots of incomprehensible pompous medical gobbledegook) Read More...
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Abbott Labs has expanded its clinical trials of HUMIRA on Crohn's disease. Seems like good news. I suspect that if approved this might help bring down the price of Remicade. Read More...
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~New Therapy~ Patients with distal UC may benefit from a combination of epidermal growth factor (EGF) enemas and oral mesalamine. ~Monitoring 6MP and Azathioprine~ High 6-TGN levels indicate that 6-MP/azathioprine are working. It may be possible to track this inexpensively by monitoring the size of patients’ red blood cells, which correlate with 6-TGN levels. Read More...
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Pharmion plans to market thalidomide to Europe as cancer fighter. There's some hope that it might also help with Crohn's. Read More...
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A study out of Australia shows that apparently people who have had their appendicies removed have less chance of developing IBD. It's a large study with 600 IBD patients and 1000 twins without the problem. No details are given on how significant the difference is but it does sound interesting. Read More...
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I found this story about a college freshman just trying to live a normal life really interesting. Cheryl Mueller, a freshman in elementary education at Kansas State, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a sophomore in high school but does a great job of staying postive and well. Read More...
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Some think that IBD patients can't tolerate iron supplements and may even make IBD worse. There's news from a study presented at the United European Gastroenterology Week that is not the case. The study which seemed a little small to me found that there is not difference in tolerance or symtoms between CD, UC and non-IBD contol subjects. Read More...
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Here's some good news from the recent meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. A Phase II trial of Sargramostim showed some pretty impressive and promising results. Sargramostim is an immune-system stimulator that was originally developed as an anti-cancer drug. Unlike other Crohn's treatments it does not involve any immuno-suppressants. The hypothesis behind this is that Crohn's disease may be caused by immune deficiency rather than an overactive immune system as traditionally believed. Read More...
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A scary case study reported at a recent meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Basically, a 51-year-old Crohn's patient developed a pretty serious case of pneumonia after a couple of infusions of infliximab (aka Remicade). Infliximab definitely improves quality of life in many Crohn's patients but watch for those fevers and chills. (Warning: This article was primarily written for doctors so lots of incomprehensible pompous gobbledegook) Read More...
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Some good advice about using herbal remedies and a link to a great comprehensive online herbal remedy database. Read More...
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I have to admit this one was very technical and I didn't understand it completely but the implications are clear. Every little bit more knowledge we have about IBD has got to get us closer to better treatments and a cure. Read More...
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According to a new study the risk of low bone mineral density in patients with IBD increases with age, lower body mass index and severity of disease. I'd always thought that this was only a problem for those on steroids but this study shows a different picture. Read More...
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In a recent study of children with inflammatory bowel disease, researchers have found that children with IBD have significantly more, and more frequent, eating behavior problems than healthy kids, and gender differences in weight and body image contribute to the behaviors. Read More...
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Some really interesting results from an in-depth study of IBD in kids. I'd always thought that there were some groups that had a higher risk of getting IBD but this study shows that it's an 'equal opportunity' condition equally afflicting all populations. Read More...
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Amanda Bourquard was a typical college freshman until Crohn's knocked her life for a loop. This story shows how with the help of family and friends she's back to her old self again. Read More...
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Leukine, a cancer drug, is showing promise as a treatment for Crohn's. This article reports on the results of the Phase II trial study which do indeed look quite good. Keep in mind that much more testing must be done and if it all pans out we probably won't see this on the market before 2007. Still, it's great to see progress. Read More...
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While the Phase II trial for Leukine was a good one, it was not a perfect one. This story goes into specifics of the results. Read More...
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Many people have trouble getting health insurance when they have pre-exiting conditions like Crohn's. This story was interesting to me as someone in the Crohn's support group I go to has been having some of these very problems. Read More...
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Great news for IBD patients in Alberta, Canada. They're opening a centre dedicated to gastroenterology patient care and research. The University of Alberta was already had Canada's largest gastrointestinal clinical trials centre. Read More...
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This article is kind of dry but it makes some good recommendations about vitamins. Read More...
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Hmmm. Here's one I've never heard of. This exerpt from a book examines the links between fungus and IBD. Read More...
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Eating More Fish Improves Diet, But Be Wary Of Risks To Health:
Some studies have found that people who eat fish regularly experience ... benefits including an anti-inflammatory effect that can help people with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. Read More...
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